Open Season on Californians' Cars

Gov. Jerry Brown's prison "realignment" program has effectively declared open season on the cars of law-abiding Californians. The criminals know very well that offenses classified as "non-violent, non-serious, non-sex" will draw minimal jail time, if any, making them effectively decriminalized, at least for the first offense.

The latest example comes from Redding, at the north end of California's Central Valley. Colin Lygren reports for KHSL:

A Redding man is back behind bars after being arrested twice in one day,
for two separate crimes. Officers arrested Nolan Telles early
yesterday morning for burglarizing a truck behind the Oxford Suites on
Hilltop Drive. He was taken to jail and quickly released.

Police say Telles then stole a car from the parking lot of the YMCA on Court Street.

* * *

The criminals are the problem, they know the jail is full and re-offend, knowing there will be no consequence.

* * *

Despite how troubling this is to law enforcement, [jail commander
Captain Anthony] Bertain says keep committing crimes and eventually,
you'll stay in jail.

Eventually? Auto theft is not a trivial crime. A great many people of modest means do not carry comprehensive insurance on their cars and cannot afford to replace them. There are 58 counties in California, and a car is a necessity in 57 of them. Stealing a person's car steals his mobility and possibly his livelihood.

The prison realignment bill is a disaster. Let us hope the people understand by November just how bad it is and throw out the bums who inflicted it on us.